This air-ambulance Dominie, a military variant of the civilian Dragon Rapide, was being used on Saturday, 30th August 1946 to transport a seriously ill patient from Abbottsinch, Glasgow to Rochester, Kent for treatment. The aircraft was due to land at RNAS Stretton near Warrington, probably to re-fuel but flew into bad weather on the first half of the flight. While flying at around 2,500 feet the aircraft flew into high ground on Broad Crag, part of the Scafell range and all on board were killed in the crash. The wreckage was located the following morning by an Anson crew searching for the aircraft, the RAF Mountain Rescue team searching for the site reported the weather to be severe when they carried out their search with the bodies being located and recovered by Sunday evening. This incident was one of the first times the rescue team used walkie-talkie radio sets to assist their communications.
This aircraft was delivered to 9 MU on 18th August 1941 and was originally taken on charge by 782 Squadron FAA at Donibristle on 25th September 1941 as an ambulance where it was named "Merlin V". Between January and April 1942 it was used on detachment at Inverness. On 6th August 1942 it was taken to De.Havilland at Witney for repair but the reason behind this is not yet known. It was returned to 782 Squadron on 19th September 1942 but tipped up onto it's nose on take off for Edlinton on 22nd October 1942 and was damaged. It was sent back to De.Havilland's at Witney for repair on 7th November 1942 and when this was complete it was returned to 782 Squadron at Donibristle. On 31st July 1943 it was flown to De Havilland at Witney for an annual overhaul, it was returned to 782 Squadron when this was complete on 23rd September 1943. While taxiing on 20th March 1944 the brakes binded at Hatston and it again tipped up onto it's nose and was slightly damaged. It sat un-repaired for a couple of months but was probably sent to Witney again to be repaired towards the end of May 1944. It was returned to 782 Squadron at Donibristle on 21st July 1944
Pilot - Sub Lt(A) Sidney Kenneth Kilsby RNVR (HMS Merlin), aged 24. Buried Dunfermline (Douglas Bank) Cemetery, Fifshire.
Airman - Chief Petty Officer Harold John Clark RN (L/FX.82398)(HMS Merlin), aged 25. Cremated Mitcham, South London.
Surgeon - Commander Surgeon William Tudor Gwynne-Jones RN (HMS Orlando), aged 54. Buried Weston Mill Cemetery, Plymouth (Sec C Cons, Grave 13643).
Crew - Sick Berth Attendant Leslie Howard Watkinson RN (C/MX.782148)(HMS Merlin), aged 19. Buried Owston Churchyard, South Yorkshire.
Patient - CWM Charles Robert Allwright DSM RN(ret) (HMS Orlando) (351201), aged 61. Buried Dunfermline (Douglas Bank) Cemetery, Fifeshire (A/58).
Leslie Watkinson was born on 16th July 1927 at Askern, Yorkshire and was the son of John Joseph and Beatrice (nee Bowmer) Watkinson. The photographs show his kept grave in the churchyard at Owston Hall, Doncaster and the village war memorial.
Sidney Kilsby was born on 5th March 1922 and was the son of Sydney Charles and Ada Ethel Kilsby, of Edmonton, Middlesex.
Harold Clark was born on 3rd May 1921 at Lambeth, London and was the son of Benjamin and Alice Clark. His parents were living at Merstham in 1946.
William Tudor Gwynne-Jones was born on 25th November 1891 and was the son of William Howell and Gwladys Gwynne-Jones. He was known as Tudor. He married Dr Lilie Margaret Christabel Charlesworth at Woking, Surrey on 14th April 1923. She died on 27th April 1941 after injuries sustained on 22nd April 1941 during what appears to have been a German bombing raid at Plymouth. Tudor was on duty at Devonport at the time so escaped injury.
The passenger / patient Charles Allwright was born at Belvedere, Kent on 11th September 1884 and was the son of Alfred and Eliza Allwright. He was baptised at Erith, Kent on 14th December 1884. Possibly lying about his date of birth, he enlisted for Royal Navy way back in March 1903. He was commended for good service during the Battle of Jutland, Gazetted on 15th September 1916 and later received the DSM for service as a sick berth steward also during the Battle of Jutland and was Gazetted on 29th December 1916. He married Mary Ann Elizabeth Greenfield in 1913 in Medway, Kent. Had had two daughters. Why he was buried in Scotland is not clear.
One of the aircraft's engines in a reasonably good condition.
The other engine in a poorer condition.
The main concentration of remaining wreckage and where a crude memorial cross has been erected, Sam Beck (showing scale). This photo is taken from exactly the same location as one shown in David Smith's 1st edition of his High Ground Wrecks and Relics book.